Ohio State thinking Big Ten title, but playoff fate awaits

The path is right in front of Ohio State. So is a big red wall named Wisconsin.

Bill Rabinowitz The Columbus Dispatch @brdispatch

The path is right in front of Ohio State. So is a big red wall named Wisconsin.

Given up for dead after losing 55-24 to Iowa a month ago, the Buckeyes are in the mix for a College Football Playoff spot despite having two losses.

It’s a similar situation to 2014, when the Buckeyes and Badgers also met in Indianapolis for the Big Ten championship. Three years ago, the Buckeyes figured to be on the outside looking in for the inaugural College Football Playoff. Their 59-0 victory over the favored Badgers changed that, and Ohio State went on to win the national title.

The current Buckeyes also are in murky waters in terms of the playoff. They were eighth in Tuesday’s rankings, but playoff committee chairman Kirby Hocutt said that there was little separation between No. 5 Alabama and Ohio State. Hocutt also reiterated the committee’s mandate to weigh a conference championship heavily in the case of comparable teams.

Alabama, which lost last week to Auburn, isn’t in the SEC championship game. The winner of Auburn and Georgia will almost certainly get one of the four spots. The same goes for the winner of the Atlantic Coast Conference title game between Clemson and Miami.

If Oklahoma beats TCU, the Sooners are in. If Oklahoma loses, TCU may still be an underdog to make the playoff. If the committee must decide between Oklahoma and Ohio State, the Sooners’ 31-16 victory in Columbus almost certainly would give them the nod.

But if it comes down to Ohio State vs. Alabama, it’s less obvious. Alabama was undefeated until last week, and there’s no shame in losing at Auburn.

But the Crimson Tide’s resume is fairly thin upon close inspection. Alabama’s opening-game win over Florida State has lost most of its luster because of the Seminoles’ dismal season. Its best win is against No. 17 LSU.

Ohio State (10-2) has victories over No. 9 Penn State, No. 16 Michigan State and, if it wins Saturday, No. 4 Wisconsin (12-0), the only undefeated Power Five conference team. It might just come down to whether the committee considers the Iowa debacle to be disqualifying.

The Buckeyes themselves have abstained from the playoff conversation. Coach Urban Meyer issued an edict this week that his players would not discuss the playoff, and they have obliged.

“I was a freshman, so I was just along for the ride,” he said. “Just to see what those guys were able to accomplish, it was pretty remarkable to watch.”

Now, like then, the Buckeyes enter the game with a question mark at quarterback. In 2014, Cardale Jones was making his first career start after J.T. Barrett suffered a broken ankle against Michigan. Jones was almost a complete mystery.

Barrett injured his knee last week against Michigan, but Meyer said that the senior has been cleared. But he had arthroscopic surgery Sunday, and his effectiveness, particularly as a runner, will be an issue. The Buckeyes can take comfort in knowing that Dwayne Haskins Jr. has an impressive performance against Michigan under his belt if he is needed.

Ohio State’s potent offense will be tested by a Wisconsin defense that ranks first nationally in total defense (236.9 yards per game), rushing defense (80.5) and passing efficiency defense (94.2).

“They’re really good with their hands,” Ohio State quarterbacks coach Ryan Day said of Wisconsin’s linemen. “The guys in the secondary do a good job with their leverage. They try to stay on top of you. The linebackers diagnose plays really, really well. They run to the ball well and tackle well. They don’t give up a lot of big plays.”

The foundation for both teams is their offensive and defensive lines.

“They’re gigantic,” Meyer said of Wisconsin’s. “Where the hell do they get these guys?”

Ohio State’s offensive line has gone from question mark to strength. Its defensive line has gone from strength to bigger strength.

Both will face perhaps their biggest test. Wisconsin changes little from year to year. Its offense features a power run game, and freshman Jonathan Taylor has been a revelation.

Wisconsin is undefeated but largely untested. The Big Ten West is markedly easier than the East. The Badgers’ best win might be against Michigan.

If they beat Ohio State, they’re a lock for the playoff. If Ohio State wins, it will be a restless Saturday night for the Buckeyes.